


The Dragon Banner

by The_Changamire



Category: Mount & Blade (Video Game)
Genre: Aserai, Bannerlord, Battania, Battle of Pendraic, Calradic Empire, Khuzait Khanate, Mount&Blade, Neretzes' Folly, Sturgia, Vlandia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23754919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Changamire/pseuds/The_Changamire
Summary: The continent of Calradia is in chaos.In the North, the Sturgians converge on the Empire, hellbent on carving their place in Calradia, while in the woodlands of Battania, an usurper ascends the throne and prepares to wage war.In the West, the Vlandian nobles bicker on and on about the worth of their word, whilst the Aserai of the Bronze Desert seek fame and fortune in the Empire's military campaigns.In the East, the tribes of the Khuzaits look to make a name for themselves, while in the South, Emperor Neretzes marches to his doom.Calradia is a powderkeg waiting to go off, and the Battle of Pendraic will be the spark that ignites the continent in war.
Kudos: 5





	The Dragon Banner

The High King of Battania, Uthelhain, waited in the grove for the death he knew was coming to claim him. By the time he had realized that his adopted son had been conspiring against him, it was far too late to do anything but whisk his true heir into obscurity, far away from prying eyes until it was time to for him to reclaim his birthright.

He had been lucky that day, when he decided to take his baby boy on a stroll. When he returned, his wife was dead and his homestead was burning; looted by renegades, was what he had been told.

He knew better.

Next to no one had known his wife had given birth, something she had loathed, but he had not survived his siblings' numerous attempts to seize the throne from him by being transparent in his doings. In that, he would thank his father for the many wisdoms he imparted to him during his reign.

(Although it had hurt to order the executions of his brothers, a guilt he still harbored to this day.)

Unfortunately for the High King, he would see his father and wife shortly.

Caladog and his sycophants, having long replaced any his guard who still harbored loyalty to Uthelhain, had insisted they go on a hunt to celebrate the High King's ripe age of seven-and-fifty, and the High King was in no place to refuse. Caladog had one the support of most of the Clans in Battania, so there would be few who would bat an eye if he 'disappeared' in a hunt.

Which was why he sat here, waiting.

He had asked to go ahead of the group to scout ahead some paths, and Caladog agreed, apparently respecting him enough to allow Uthelhain to compose himself. In that, and only that, Caladog would have his thanks.

_It is time for me to meet the gods._

He could here the beat of hooves as the rest of the hunting party drew nearer, so he stood from the stone he had seated himself upon. Undoing the harness of his riding horse, one that had been with him since he turned two-and-ten, he bid it a quiet goodbye, and smacked its hindquarters. He watched his long time companion disappeared into the woods with a heavy heart, it's tail vanishing into the brush just as Caladog and hi men emerged from the other side of the grove.

He turned to face his adopted son, standing tall even in the face of death.

"You know what is to happen, do you not?" Caladog asked. He remained mounted in his saddle even as his men encircled him on foot. Only then did he dismount, out of respect to the High King.

"I do," Uthelhain admitted. He sighed. "Why must it be this way? Did I not care for you as a father would a son? Did my beloved Abraia not love as a mother would her son?"

"That you did," Caladog conceded. "But you are the last thing in my way, and because you are in the way you must be removed." His men closed in, the rasp of scabbards all-too-telling of Caladog's intentions. "I respect you, father, which is why I shall end this myself." The Usurper unsheathed his sword. "The time for peace is over. The Sturgians ask for aid in their fight against the Empire, how can we give up this chance? To retake the land lost to us over the generations? To gain vengeance for our people?"

Uthelhain looked at his adopted son wearily. "You know I cannot abide by this. I spent much of my reign forging peace for our people."

"I know."

In one swift motion, Caladog swung his sword, beheading the man he once called father, and watched as the now-headless body collapsed on the spot. The grove was silent for a moment, before the men around him began to kneel. Caladog stared at his blade for a moment, enraptured by the crimson running down it's length, when his eyes caught sight of a druid emerging from the woods.

The holy man walked passed his men, seemingly gliding through them like a wraith, unperturbed by the head or body of the slain king, and stopped in front of Caladog.

Then the druid knelt.

" _Hail to the High King._ "

* * *

/\/\/~The Dragon Banner~\/\/\

* * *

**_Spring_** , **_1077_**

The senate meetings were, as usual, filled with rowdy, impatient nobles, half of them with grievances against another, and the other half vying for the spot of Emperor.

Arenicos did not envy the position Neretzes had found himself in, although he, and many other nobles in the capital, knew he was the best man for the job. With the death of the previous Emperor, Neretzes had been quickly elected by the Senate, to many's surprise, despite the other candidates that had been presented. Since that day five years ago, Neretzes had proven again and again that he had been the correct choice, something that Arenicos had been glad to see. His father had actually been grooming him to be one of the candidates presented, until he had joined the military. His father had obviously not been happy, until he saw how fast Arenicos advanced through the ranks. In the end, he ended up as Neretzes' right-hand man, so his father was somewhat appeased in the end.

The military man snapped out of his thoughts as the shouting in the room began to reach its peak. Arenicos grinned as he saw his friend discreetly pull out a war-horn from a nearby pouch, and signaled his men to cover their ears, which they did before the Emperor blew, silencing the arguing senators.

"I have listened to you lot bicker for an hour yet I have heard nothing of value." the Emperor all but scolded. "Speak one at a time. We are Calradoi, not Battannic savages. We will have civilized conversation here." Some of the nobles chuckled at the barb against the hill tribes before silencing themselves as one of them, Valius, if Arenicos remembered correctly, stood up to address the Senate.

"My lords," he began. He nodded to Neretzes. "My Emperor." He shuffled several rolls of parchment in front of him before beginning. "I have heard dire news from the war front. The Battanians have a new High King. Uthelhain is dead."

The Senate erupted into loud whispers at that; It was no hidden truth that Uthelhain's policies had been the only thing keeping the fragile peace between the Empire and the tribes of the woodlands intact. Without him, they might be facing Battannic hordes on their borders. Arenicos looked to his Emperor and saw he was frowning. Uthelhain, Arenicos recalled, had been a good friend of Neretzes, despite their factions' differences. To hear he was dead was quite a blow, he imagined.

"How exactly did he die?" Neretzes questioned, and the Senate fell silent again. Valius cleared his throat before resuming. "My spies in Marunath say that the High King had taken his adopted son and retinue hunting in celebration of his most recent nameday. If what the reports say are true, he simply… disappeared. It is more likely he was killed during this hunt. Caladog, his adopted son, returned to the Battannic captial, gathered the nobles, and rode for Dunthanach, where he was promptly crowned High King." Neretzes' eyes narrowed; this news had to be several weeks old by now. What else could have happened during that time?

Arenicos frowned at that. Duthanach was the most sacred site of Battania, and little of it is known to outsiders besides its name and purpose. Despite their best efforts, their spies simply could not find it. Battanian war prisoners spoke nothing on the subject, even when subjected to torture. Even the auxiliaries of former Battannic territories refused to tell it's whereabouts, even when ordered.

The nobles continued to talk amongst themselves, absorbing the facts of this newfound predicament. Neretzes sighed as Valius bowed and sat and another stood in his place. Arnicos did not know the name of this one, but he supposed it mattered little.

"Speak," the Emperor bid. The noble bowed his head and did as he was told. "The war in the North seems to have fallen into a stalemate. However, the Sturgians have gained more land in this war whilst we have taken none. If this is to change, I suggest we request reinforcements from our allies in Vlandia-"

One noble spat. "Vlandia, _bah_! Nothing but glorified mercenaries! They _cannot_ be counted on!"

"King Derthert is a man of his word!"

"The Vlandians are more likely to give aid to our enemies than march to ours!"

The senate once again dissolved into loud bickering as nobles took the chance to hurl insults at their rivals, and vice versa. With such an intensity and concentration of voices, no one but Arenicos and his guard noticed the woman slip into the chambers and whisper something into the Emperor's ear, who paled. Waiting until the woman slipped out of the sight of the senators, Neretzes blew the horn again, and the senators quieted. Arenicos watched with concern as has his Emperor began to speak, noting his hands had shook briefly behind the podium, which did not bode well. "My lords, I have just received news from the North from one of my informants." The Emperor took a breath, the spoke again, load and clear.

"Apparently, two weeks ago, a force of Sturgians marched up with a host of Battanians and met prafecti Gaianus in battle. He was killed in battle, his Legion was routed, the _Valixium lacerta_ lost, and the nearby fort razed to the ground."

This time, the silence remained. All in the room knew what had just occurred. Losing the _Valixium lacerta_ was one thing, a major disgrace that could only be redeemed by retaking it and annihilating those who took it, but a Sturgian host assisted by the Battanians? The message the new High King was sending had been made clear to the nobles of the Calradic Empire.

For the first time in a generation, the Empire waged war on two fronts.

* * *

/\/\/~The Dragon Banner~\/\/\

* * *

_**Dunthanach** : The scared hill of Battania. Where the High Kings of Battania are crowned_

_**Prafecti** : A high-ranking Calradic military leader_

_**Valixium lacerta** : Calradic equivalent of a Roman Aquila_


End file.
